Multipurpose railroad car

ABSTRACT

A railway flatcar readily interchangeable for container and trailer-on-flatcar operation having a container bracket arrangement which is adjustable for supporting different length containers. The arrangement includes container corner-supporting brackets which are movable in slot structures in the deck to certain container support positions and which are stored in aperture structures to one side of the slot structures below the deck in inoperative position. The slot and aperture structures are constructed to conform to and combine with the conventional flatcar understructure.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Harold E. Gramse 3,321,162 5/1967 Connerat 248/119 Chicago Heights, 111. 3,387,571 6/1968 Matushek et a1. 105/366(.8) [21] -Appl.No. 774,272 3,391,654 7/1968 Grob etal 105/366(.8) [22] Filed Nov. 8, 1968 3,417,712 12/1968 Pulcrano etal 105/366(.8) [45] Patented Apr. 13,1971 3,431,868 3/1969 Cordaniet a1. l05/366(.8) [73] Assignee Pullman Incorporated 3,437,056 4/1969 OLeary 105/366(.8)

Chicago Primary Examiner-Drayton E. Hoffman Attorneys-Hilmond O. Vogel and Wayne Morris Russell [54] MULTIPURPOSE RAILROAD CAR sclmmsllDrawmg Flgs' ABSTRACT: A railway flatcar readily interchangeable for- [52] US. Cl 105/366, container and t il g fl t operation having a container 24 8/119 bracket arrangement which is adjustable for supporting [51] Int. Cl B651 1/22, diff t length containers The arrangement includes 1 7/08 container comer-supporting brackets which are movable in slot structures in the deck to certain container support 366.8; 248/1 19; 280/179; 105/366 ositions-and which are stored in aperture structures to .one side of the slot structures below the deckin inoperative [56] References cued position. The slot and aperture structures are constructed to UNITED STATES PATENTS conform to and combine with the conventional flatcar understructure.

Patented April 13, 1971 3 Shoots-Sheet 2 INVENTOR HAROLD E. GRAMSE W AT T'Y Patented April 13, 1971 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR HAROLD E. GRA MSE BY ((2 M SUMMARY The invention concerns a railway flatcar which may be readily used interchangeably for carrying trailers or containers. A container-supporting arrangement is provided which includes a plurality of container brackets normally engaging the corners of a container for supporting the same on the car. Slot structures on the deck of the car extend longitudinally and the container brackets may be moved in said slots to a plurality of positions to accommodate different lengths of containers. Apertured structures are spaced laterally of the slots and at intervals with respect thereto and communicate therewith to provide a storage place below the deck of the car, when the brackets are pivoted transversely of the car. Container brackets at opposite ends of the car are also stored in apertures in the deck but are fixed against longitudinal adjustment.

The slot and apertured structures are arranged to accommodate the underframe structure of a conventional flatcar and with a housing structure beneath each slot provide for a track in which slider blocks are accommodated which are pivotally connected to the container brackets.

Thus it is the primary object of the invention to provide an improved and simplified adjustable container bracket arrangement for a railway car of the multipurpose type.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a plan view of a symmetrical portion of a flatcar showing an improved container supporting arrangement;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of FIG. ll;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view of a container bracket supported on the deck of a car at a position removed from the end thereof;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. e is a perspective view of a portion of a railway car showing a container arrangement and storage aperture therefor; and

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 7-7 of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring particularly to FIG. I, a multipurpose railway ilatcar is generally designated by the reference character 10. The llatcar it) comprises a deck Ill having a conventional underfrarne structure generally designated 12. The underframe structure 12 comprises a longitudinally extending center sill 13 consisting of a pair of upright webs l4 suitably connected to the deck 11 and being provided with a bottom plate 15. A plurality of vertical stiffeners 16 are disposed within the center sill 13. The structural elements herein described generally are connected by suitably welding to fon'n a substantially unitary structure. The conventional underframe structure 12 also includes channel-shaped stringers 17 disposed on opposite sides of the car underneath the deck 111, being suitably connected thereto, and extending substantially the length of the car. Bolsters 17, as shown in FIG. ll, extend transversely near opposite ends of the car in conventional fashion.

The underframe structure 12 further has a plurality of horizontally extending crossbearers l5 suitably connected to the stringers l7 and to the center sill structure l3. Structural supports 19 tie the crossbearers into the lower end of the webs l4 and the bottom cover plate 15. Side sills 20 are suitable connected to the crossbearers 118 and to the deck 11.

A container bracket arrangement 2! is provided on the deck ll of the car W. The arrangement includes a plurality of container brackets generally designated 22. Each container bracket 22 is provided with opposite vertical transverse walls view taken substantially along the 23 and 24. The transverse walls 23 and 24 are suitably connected to vertical longitudinal walls 25 and 24 to provide a suitable container seat 27 as best shown in FIG. 4. The container seat 27 of each bracket, as best shown in FIG. 1, is adapted to support the corners of a suitable cargo container 55. Support ledges 28 and 29 are respectively provided on the transverse walls 23 and 24 and project outwardly with respect thereto. The lower ends of the walls 23 are provided with slotted tracks 34 each having at one end, as best shown in FIGS. 4 and e, an arcuate end portion 31. Each container bracket 22 is also provided at its lower end with a connecting element 32 having a horizontal lip portion 33.

As best shown in FIG. 1, the deck 11 includes a plurality of storage apertures 34. As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, cross brackets 35 of channel construction are suitably connected to the stringers 17 on each side of the car, these serving to support the brackets 22 when they are placed into the storage apertures 34. A longitudinally extending track 36 extends underneath the deck 11 coextensive with slots 40 which as shown in FIG. I extend longitudinally on opposite sides of the car substantially the distance of the deck 11 which is disposed between the bolsters I7. The tracks 36 are each formed by an angle member which is suitably connected as indicated in FIG. 4 to the deck 11 and to one of the longitudinal stringers 117. Each of the tracks 36 is cut out the width of each aperture 34 so that each aperture 34 is in communication with the tracks 36, which extend longitudinally on opposite sides thereof and with the slots 40. This permits the rotation of each bracket 22 through the deck 11 into the apertured opening 34 as best shown in the dotted line position of FIG. 4. Each cross bracket 35 has welded thereto a spacer block 37 which in turnis suitably welded to the track 36 for providing support therefor.

A slider member 38 is disposed for relative sliding movement within each of the tracks 36. Each slider member 38 comprises a pair of slide blocks 39 as best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, each of which is disposed on opposite sides of the aperture 34 when the container bracket 22 is disposed adjacent the said aperture 34 as best shown in FIG. 3. The slide blocks 39 each include a pivot boss 41 projecting upwardly into the slot 40 and being provided with pivot pins 42 which project into the slotted tracks 30 as best shown in FIGS. 3 and 7 at the point of the arcuate end portion 31 to permit the bracket 22 to be suitably pivoted relative to the slider member 35. The slide blocks 39 are connected together by means of a vertical longitudinally extending connecting web 43 shown in FIG. 3. Thus the slider blocks 39 move longitudinally within the tracks 36 as a unit. As best shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, the deck 11 is also provided with a plurality of transversely extending and longitudinally spaced recesses 44 providing positioning means for receiving the connecting elements 32 and the horizontal lip 33 of each bracket 22.

The car 110, as best shown in FIG. 1, is provided at opposite ends outwardly of the bolster 17' with a pair of end corner brackets 45. The comer brackets 45 and the associated structure form the subject matter of Ser. No. 726,283 filed May 3, 1968 and thus will only be described briefly. The end corner brackets 45 may be suitably recessed within apertures 46 provided in the deck 11. Each bracket 45 comprises upright walls 47 providing a container support seat 48 on which the one end of a container 55 may be supported. The brackets 45 are seated, as indicated in FIG. 7, on the deck 11 which at the point of the positioning of the brackets 45 is provided with a supporting structure 49 extending underneath the deck Ill. The bracket 45 is pivoted to the dotted line position shown in FIG. 7 within the aperture 46 by means of pivot links 50 which are pivotally connected, as indicated at 51, to certain of the sidewalls 47 and are also pivotally connected, as indicated at 52, to suitable structure disposed beneath the deck 11. One of the walls 47 of the bracket 45 is also provided with a projecting ledge 53 which engages a stop bracket 54 disposed within the aperture 46 for receiving the bracket 45 in its stored position with the wall 47 having a ledge 53 disposed horizontally to form a continuation of the deck Ill.

THE OPERATION The multipurpose car of this inventionis provided with suitable trailer hitches which permit trailer-on-flatcar operation. Trailer hitches of this type are conventional and may be placed in a flat storage position or may be raised on the deck for connection to the trailer to be shipped. Such a trailer hitch is disclosed only schematically and is designated by the reference 56 in FIG. I. When the car is utilized for containers, the hitch 56 is collapsed and the containers and the container brackets are positioned to support the four comers of the various containers which may be carried on the car. Containers 55 may come in various lengths having however a standard width. Thus conventional or 40'feet containers may be utilized or containers of entirely different lengths may be carried. In order to accommodate containers of different lengths the brackets 22 are moved along the slots 40 as indicated in FIG. I, the container 55 being approximately of a 20-feet length. In positioning the brackets 22 they are removed from their stored position within the apertures 34 and are placed on the deck 11 in the position shown in FIG. 7 wherein the connecting elements 32 are disposed in the recesses 44 with the lips 33 securely locking the container brackets 22 in position. Since the positioning 44 are disposed longitudinally alongside the slots 40 it is a simple matter to position the container brackets 22 to accommodate different size containers.

In the present invention the positioning recesses 44 extend in longitudinally spaced relation to one side of the longitudinally extending slots 40. Also the storage apertures 34 are positioned on a side opposite and inwardly with respect to the slots 40. The position of the positioning recesses 44 and apertures 34 including the slots 40, as best shown in FIG. 2, permits the container bracket arrangement structure to be readily built into a standard or conventional flat car arrangement wherein a deck 11 is supported on a plurality of longitudinally extending U-shaped stringers 17 in turn supported on the crossbearers i8. Thus the conventional car structure need not be changed but may be utilized for conversion to a multipurpose car which includes the present container bracket arrangement.

Further, the weight of the loaded containers is not directly on the slotted structure of the deck and track which provides for positioning, but in turn is on the deck portion which is in vertical alignment with the longitudinally extending outer stringers 17 thus providing an adequate and preferable supporting means for the heavy weight of a loaded container. By positioning the brackets in this manner maintenance on the sliding track arrangement and components thereof is greatly minimized since the load is taken primarily on a portion of the deck disposed laterally with respect to the slots 40.

When the car is to again be returned to trailer operation it is a simple matter to move the container brackets 22 adjacent to apertures 34 wherein they are simply rotated about the pivot pins 42 into the apertures 34. During this pivotal action the slotted track 30 provides for movement of the container bracket 22 in a vertical direction as the longitudinal wall 25 assumes a more horizontal position until the said wall 25 is positioned as indicated by broken lines in FIG. 4 slightly disposed above the deck 11 which permits the same to support the wheels of a trailer which may be traveling over the deck 11. The support ledges 28 and 29 which project outwardly from the walls 23 and 24 now engage the beams or cross brackets 35 which are securely fastened to the stringers l7 and the container bracket 22 is thus securely and solidly positioned within the aperture 34 so that it is able to withstand the vertical loads placed thereon by the trailers as they are loaded onto the flat deck of the car. As indicated previously, the slide blocks 39 being interconnected by the web 43 slide unitarily in the track 38 which however is cut out in the region of the apertures 35' so as to permit the bracket 22 to freely move into the stored position upon rotation thereof.

The recesses 44 in the deck 11 for positioning the brackets 22 are disposed at longitudinally spaced intervals which have become the generally accepted normal spacing on vehicles of this type. If the increments representing this spacing are considered modules then the brackets 22 are constructed on half-modules. Thus the spacing from the connecting element 32 to the oppositely disposed vertical wall 24 of the container seat 27 is approximately half of this modular increment. By this arrangement the brackets 22 are readily adjustable to all positions whereby to support the two ends of the containers in their normally oriented positions on the vehicle. The arrangement also effectively resists the moment resulting from the longitudinal forces of the container on the bracket.

Iclairn:

I. In a railway flatcar for transporting containers and having an underframe and a generally flat deck supported thereby:

a longitudinally extending track mounted on the underframe along each side margin of the car and exposed beneath a slot extending longitudinally through the deck;

a storage aperture in the deck on one side of each slot having a longitudinal edge open to the slot;

said deck being formed with a plurality of longitudinally spaced positioning recesses on the other side of each slot;

a slider member entirely below the deck and slidable on each track; and

a container comer-supporting bracket having a bottom formed with a flange and having one side edge of said flanged bottom extending down through the slot and pivoted to each slider member mounting the bracket for swinging movement down into an inoperative position in the storage aperture and up onto the deck for sliding longitudinally to an operative position with said bottom resting on the deck and said flange received in a selected one of said positioning recesses.

2. The invention in accordance with claim 1, in which:

the storage aperture is on the inboard side of the slot; and

the positioning recesses are slots disposed parallel in groups on the outboard side of the slot and normal thereto.

3. The invention in accordance with claim 1, in which the slider member is wider than the slot and is retained therein by the deck margins defining the slot overhanging the slider member. i

4. The invention in accordance with claim 1, in which:

each slot extends from one end portion of the deck to a point spaced from the other end of the deck equal approximately to the length of the shortest container to be mounted on the deck;

in combination with end comer brackets mounted at said other end of the deck in alignment with said first named brackets when in operative position;

said end comer brackets being fixed against movement longitudinally of the deck.

5. The invention in accordance with claim 1, in which:

the storage aperture is on the inboard side of the slot; and

the plurality of spaced positioning recesses are formed on the outboard side of the slot.

6. The invention in accordance with claim 1, in which the underframe includes stringer members supporting the deck and cross brackets connecting the bottoms of the stringer members and supporting the track between the stringer members.

7. The invention in accordance with claim 6, in which the corner-supporting bracket includes transversely extending sidewalls having outstanding support ledges adapted to engage said underframe cross brackets when the comer-supporting bracket is in inoperative position.

8. The invention in accordance with claim 1, in which said bottom flange of the container comer-supporting bracket is formed with a lip adapted to be hooked beneath a marginal edge or the deck when the bracket has been slid into operative position with said flange in said positioning recess. 

1. In a railway flatcar for transporting containers and having an underframe and a generally flat deck supported thereby: a longitudinally extending track mounted on the underframe along each side margin of the car and exposed beneath a slot extending longitudinally through the deck; a storage aperture in the deck on one side of each slot having a longitudinal edge open to the slot; said deck being formed with a plurality of longitudinally spaced positioning recesses on the other side of each slot; a slider member entirely below the deck and slidable on each track; and a container corner-supporting bracket having a bottom formed with a flange and having one side edge of said flanged bottom extending down through the slot and pivoted to each slider member mounting the bracket for swinging movement down into an inoperative position in the storage aperture and up onto the deck for sliding longitudinally to an operative position with said bottom resting on the deck and said flange received in a selected one of said positioning recesses.
 2. The invention in accordance with claim 1, in which: the storage aperture is on the inboard side of the slot; and the positioning recesses are slots disposed parallel in groups on the outboard side of the slot and normal thereto.
 3. The invention in accordance with claim 1, in which the slider member is wider than the slot and is retained therein by the deck margins defining the slot overhanging the slider member.
 4. The invention in accordance with clAim 1, in which: each slot extends from one end portion of the deck to a point spaced from the other end of the deck equal approximately to the length of the shortest container to be mounted on the deck; in combination with end corner brackets mounted at said other end of the deck in alignment with said first named brackets when in operative position; said end corner brackets being fixed against movement longitudinally of the deck.
 5. The invention in accordance with claim 1, in which: the storage aperture is on the inboard side of the slot; and the plurality of spaced positioning recesses are formed on the outboard side of the slot.
 6. The invention in accordance with claim 1, in which the underframe includes stringer members supporting the deck and cross brackets connecting the bottoms of the stringer members and supporting the track between the stringer members.
 7. The invention in accordance with claim 6, in which the corner-supporting bracket includes transversely extending sidewalls having outstanding support ledges adapted to engage said underframe cross brackets when the corner-supporting bracket is in inoperative position.
 8. The invention in accordance with claim 1, in which said bottom flange of the container corner-supporting bracket is formed with a lip adapted to be hooked beneath a marginal edge of the deck when the bracket has been slid into operative position with said flange in said positioning recess. 